The present invention relates to a bulk feed delivery system which is used to transport and dispense feed or other particular material for farm animals or the like. More particularly, the present invention relates to a gate mechanism within a bulk feed body compartment of the delivery system.
Bulk feed delivery systems and gate mechanisms therefore are well known in the art. These systems are used to haul livestock feed from a mill to the farms. A plurality of bulk feed body compartments are typically arranged together to haul a variety of different feeds at the same time.
It is known to provide a bulk feed delivery system, such as is available from Warren Manufacturing, Inc. of Birmingham, Ala., which includes a bulk feed body compartment having a dispensing opening, an auger pan surrounding the dispensing opening, an auger within the auger pan for transporting the particulate material, and a gate mechanism for controlling the flow of the particulate material through the dispensing opening. The gate mechanism includes a gate cover mounted to the bulk feed body compartment in a inverted "V" shape and oriented at a 120.degree. angle, a pair of gates arranged under the gate cover, a plurality of gate supports, and a rack and pinion gear system for moving the gate to a first position for opening the dispensing opening and second position for closing the dispensing opening. The gates supports have an open V-shaped frame construction.
However, one of the problems associated with such gates mechanisms is that gate movement is actuated from the center of the gates. In such an arrangement, the ends of the gates simply rest on the gate supports and ride against the walls of the compartment. Accordingly, it is difficult to control the lateral movement of the gates as they are raised and lowered. In other words, as the gates are raised or lowered from their center position the ends of the gate tend to either rise or fall unevenly with the center, thereby creating an uneven flow of feed through the dispensing opening. The uneven movement of the gates may also cause the gates to jam against the compartment body.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, a bulk feed delivery system includes a bulk body having a dispensing opening extending along a bottom end thereof; a pair of gates arranged adjacent the dispensing opening, the gates being movable between a first position to close the dispensing opening and a second position to open the dispensing opening; a gate cover; a plurality of gate supports frictionally supporting the gates under the gate cover, each gate support having a surface; and a gate guide mechanism mounted to an underside of each of the pair of gates, each of the gate guide mechanisms being operable with the respective surface of the gate supports for controlling the movement and orientation of the gates during movement between the first and second positions.
In one embodiment, the gate guide mechanism in provided in the form of a plurality of wheels mounted on a base plate. The width of the base plate is less than the diameter of the wheels to assure that the gate and the gate guide mechanism have a tight fit with the gate supports.